


This is What Heaven Feels Like

by wolfgun



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Happy Ending, Klanceweek2k16, M/M, day 3: heaven/hell, introspective from Keiths POV, klanceweek, ofc duh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:23:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7696342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfgun/pseuds/wolfgun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a simple thought, but one that made laughter bubble up in his throat. Keith chuckled softly for a brief minute, until realizing that he had stopped, and that Lance had stayed back with him.</p><p>“What is it?” He said, glancing back to see that the rest of the paladins had continued to walk.</p><p>“Nothing,” Keith answered, smiling up at Lance. “It’s just that… I’m really stupid.” </p><p>“Yeah… you are.” And Lance’s beam of a smile had been worth it after that. Keith shook his head, elbowing the other away, earning a yelp, and then he was elbowed back.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>This is what heaven feels like.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	This is What Heaven Feels Like

Before Keith found Blue, everything felt like hell. His own, personal brand of hell.

 

He watched the rocket take Shiro away from him, and for months he sat in his dorm with the radio turned on, listening. Waiting. Hoping.

 

And then that day had come to pass--it was all over the news, Shiro’s face, along with the two others that went with him. Disappeared, they said. Pilot error, they said.

 

Keith knew better.

 

{--+--}

 

And if that weren’t enough, everyone at the Garrison gave into their little spiel of lies. In the halls, that’s all that people talked about.

 

“Shirogane? Yeah, I thought he was a brilliant pilot… but I guess I was wrong.”

 

“I thought they were the best team to choose--and yet, they’re all dead. Kerberos is a lost cause after all.”

 

“Well--what do you expect? Edge of the solar system, a months-long trek.”

 

“Reality is harsh, dude...”

 

He stomped past the throngs of people, glaring at anything that moved--he had to keep his temper in check.

 

But it was easier said than done.

 

It all came to a head one day when he was throwing punches in the training room; trying to clear the simmering thoughts in his head by hitting the dummy bag harder and harder and even harder still. When he felt his knuckles bruise, he didn’t stop. When he felt the skin rub raw, he didn’t stop.

 

Keith saw them in the corner of his eye, and even before he could see their faces he knew what they were here for. They didn’t want a talk, they weren’t here to train. They were here for _him._

 

This proved true as the three of them surrounded him, and he shrugged inwardly, continuing to punch. The dull whack as his hands hit the surface echoed throughout the quiet room, and only Keith’s shallow breathing marked the pauses in between.

 

“Kogane,” said a gruff voice, and Keith punched the bag on the latter half of his name. So all he kinda heard was Kog--not that he needed the ringleader to say anything to prove they were here for him. After a few more seconds to piss the guy off enough that his smirk fell into a hard line, but not too much so that they started a scuffle right there, Keith straightened. He gave one good last hook that ricocheted around the room, and then he turned, cocking an eyebrow.

 

“Need something, _boys?_ ” In front of him in a shallow semicircle were some kids from his Aerospace class. He didn’t know their names, but he knew those stubby pre-pubescent beard hairs anywhere. Kinda.

 

“Oh? So you don’t even know?”

 

“Know _what,_ Beardy?” Keith didn’t particularly care for these games, and he was tired as fuck. This time to himself was the only peace and quiet he could find for himself, and they were seriously encroaching on it. It made the molasses in his veins run hot and ready.

 

The guy stepped up right into Keith’s face, and Keith had to use every shred of will _not_ to send the guy sprawling.

 

“My girl’s been lookin’ at your pretty face a bit too much, lately, _Kogane._ ” Keith watched belatedly as Beardy straightened, trying to gain some height. Which was pretty hilarious, because Keith was only around 5’9” and not all that tall for a dude. He was just average. But Beardy here seemed to be around 2 inches shorter. Keith tilted his head and assumed an innocent look, licking the sweat off his lips.

 

“Wait, wait. Do you mean the brunnette with the huge nose or the blonde with the fake eyelashes? Or do you mean that other one who always stalks me through the halls and thinks I don’t notice?” He watched in satisfaction as the guy began to bristle, his face turning from smug to pissed in 0.2 seconds. “Or-- _maybe_ you meant that girl in Aero, who always sends me the most disgusting googly eyes.” Keith snorted, waving a hand to make Beardy back up slightly. His breath was rancid. “Tell her she can keep her googly eyes.”

 

And that was all that was needed for Rancid Beardy to punch him, his two minions rushing in. It was definitely Googly Eyes, he mused, as he let the punch hit him and rolled away from the three boys. He smirked as he cocked his arm back, feeling the pent-up anger flood into his system, hand in hand with the adrenaline.

 

_Beardy threw the first punch._

 

{--+--}

 

He sat in the infirmary not even an hour later, having beaten the other boys badly. His head was a bit messed up, and his knuckles had split on Beardy’s teeth, and other than a few bruises and a split lip, he was fine. Keith kept his head down as they were patched up and then sent to One-Eye’s office, and he at least had the shame to act like he was sorry.

 

It was mostly the thought of Shiro’s unhappy, disapproving expression that did that.

 

“Let me ask you, _cadets,_ why I found you all in the training room at ass o’clock in the night, _beating each other to a pulp_ !” Keith saw the two minion boys flinch at the raise in volume. “And _you,_ Kogane. I can’t say I’m _surprised_ to see you here.” One-Eye threw a glance at the other boys. “Though I was expecting it to be _McClain_ again.”

 

Keith frowned at the apparent dig at him. He wasn’t stupid--he knew what this guy thought about him. What he didn’t understand was why he was being lumped with that McClain. Sure, they got in fights, had their own bouts here and there, and had landed in this office more than a couple times… But it wasn’t for punch-outs like _this._

 

It just figures. One-Eye here thinks that all kids brought into the Garrison from the foster system are all duds.

 

They endured his rant for over thirty minutes, and then were dismissed to their dorms, told that parents would be called within the next day. One-Eye made it a point to emphasize that Keith didn’t have anyone to call.

 

{--+--}

 

He was in Aerospace the next day, and every time Googly Eyes sent him a look, he glared as hard as he could at her. Stupid girls and their stupid looks, getting him into trouble just because one dude’s insecurity was too much for him to handle.

 

News had obviously spread, and people were avoiding him in the halls. He felt a twinge at that; more glares followed him now than ever. Keith brushed it off, heading again to the training room during free period.

 

Needless to say, he was surprised when he heard the door hiss open, and even more surprised to see _McClain_ of all people swaggering towards him. With a roll of eyes, Keith turned back to the treadmill, upping the speed.

 

McClain came to rest an arm on the front of the machine, and after about two minutes of staring, Keith cracked. He stopped the run and let out a frustrated huff of breath, unable to stop the anger bubbling up.

 

“Do _you_ need something, _McClain?_ Or are you here for a fight too?” He watched as that familiar tanned face and thin eyebrows screwed up, giving him a frown.

 

“And touch you, all sweaty and gross? _No thanks,”_ he said, following Keith over to his water bottle. Keith caught his breath and then tilted his head back to the ceiling, drizzling water over his forehead.

 

“So, _why_ are you here?” He turned to see the other boy jumped slightly, as if he had been distracted.

 

“I’m here because--I... Uh--actually, that’s a good question. I saw you in here,” McClain said, haltingly, “and I… wanted to ask you why you’re so beat up.” Keith pursed his lips, staring at the ground, and then back up at McClain’s face.

 

“Why? I mean, whenever you see me in class, you just want to beat me in everything and--and you tell people how much you _hate my guts,_ and, well, correct me if I’m wrong, but you _do._ Why do you care?” McClain jerked suddenly, seeming to contemplate this for a brief moment.

 

“I mean, I do hate you.” Keith opened his mouth, but he was shushed, and McClain continued. “But it’s not like, _seething_ hatred. It’s not like, _grrr I would totally kill you on a bright sunny day when the birds are chirping and life is great_ hate. It’s more like _shit you motherfucker you stole top score and what the fuck I should be able to beat you at least_ once _fucking damnit_ type hate.” Keith frowned.

 

“So, _jealousy?”_ McClain groaned loudly, messing up his hair with his hands and turning around in a circle.

 

“ _Why_ does _everybody_ say that!?” Despite himself, Keith felt a smile tug at his lips.

 

“Because that’s what it _is_ ,” Keith said, letting a snort of laughter escape him.

 

“Holy shit, Kogane, did you just laugh?” He turned to see McClain looking at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

 

“Uh, _no,_ ” Keith said uncomfortable, trying to turn away and wincing when McClain grabbed his wrist right on a bruise.

 

“Aww, come on you totally did.” Keith was reeled back in, and he wondered how long it would take to kill himself, right there.

 

“No one will believe you,” he said, but was distracted as McClain started rubbing his knuckles. “Uh? What’re you--”

 

“What happened?” Lance gave the other boy a look, serious and searching. “You didn’t think I’d ignore your split lip, and those other guys’ black eyes, right?” Keith just snorted, pulling his hand gently out of McClain’s grip.

 

“I just got into a fight. Nothing serious.”

 

“Uh, no--that _is_ serious. A fight? With Eric Germaine?”

 

“Who?” McClain groaned at Keith’s ignorance.

 

“Dude, that guy’s dad is on the Board. That means he has access to almost all of your records, and has a say in all the shit that goes on. He has the favor of all faculty here.”

 

“Oh,” was all Keith said. “That must be why he sucks at everything but is still here.” McClain laughed, but it was hollow.

 

“Yeah, pretty much.”

 

They sat with their backs against the wall in a quiet silence for a few minutes, and Keith was enjoying it. Of the hell that was his life, it wasn’t so bad when his supposed rival was being, surprisingly, _not_ rival-like. But that ended again when McClain opened his mouth.

 

“So, like, tell me what happened.” It was Keith’s turn to groan now.

 

“Are you gonna shut the hell up about it if I do?”

 

“Yup,” he said, popping the ‘p’. That was such a McClain thing to do that Keith almost snorted.

 

“Fine. I was training, when he and his two minions came in and picked a fight with me. Happy?”

 

“Nope.” McClain turned to face him, and begrudgingly, Keith did the same. “What’d they say to you?”

 

“Beardy was angry his girlfriend was giving me googly eyes in Aero.”

 

“And so you punched him?”

 

“Uh, no. I’m not _that_ stupid.” Keith waved a hand around in the air, resting his chin on the other. “I may have said a few provoking things, like it’s not my fault his girlfriend found me more attractive.” McClain laughed at that.

 

“Oh man. So then _he_ threw the first punch?” When Keith nodded, Lance let out a sigh of relief, but his face hardened again. “But that won’t get you in the clear.”

 

“What do you mean?” Keith frowned at McClain, who just looked over to the side, rubbing his neck.

 

“I mean… it’s probably not going to be enough, given your history.” Fear and apprehension turned into anger, and Keith stood abruptly.

 

“What do you _mean,_ ‘history’?” he all but snarled. Keith felt a flash of remorse as he saw McClain flinch, but even so, he stood, face to face with Keith.

 

“I _mean,_ Kogane, that _your record_ isn’t exactly clean, and straight 100’s on simulations can only get you _so fucking far._ Especially when you picked a fight with the son of a Board member.” McClain didn’t have to say it, but it was implied. _You don’t have anyone to back you up._

 

Keith took in a breath, ready to fight McClain on this, but when he let it out, he completely deflated. He already knew it. He snatched up his jacket and walked out the door, leaving McClain standing there.

 

“Bye, McClain,” were the last words he said to his ‘rival,’ as he was kicked out the very next day.

 

{--+--}

 

For a year, he wandered aimlessly in the desert; he guessed it was a blessing that he even found an abandoned shack to live in. His life turned even more to hell than he had thought it could.

 

The loneliness got to him sometimes; and although he was used to being _lonely,_ he wasn’t used to the absolute emptiness. He found himself waiting to hear McClain’s voice, One-Eye’s annoying lectures, and he was sure he heard Shiro’s huff of laughter somewhere in the silence.

 

But despite all this, no one ever came.

 

And gradually, their voices faded into the swirls of sand that battered his shack smooth, and he gave into the pull of the desert, taking his hoverbike out for prolonged periods of time, and even getting lost in the rock formations occasionally.

 

This was how he found Blue.

 

{--+--}

 

He had to say it was nothing short of a shell-shock to find it was _Shiro_ that had fallen from the sky in the blaze of a comet; he was even more surprised to see a vaguely-familiar face walk into the tent, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember who it was.

 

“Uh… Who are you?” Once the words were out, he realized that was probably a poor thing to say, as that tanned face screwed up in indignation.

 

“Who am I? Uh, ‘scuse me? The name’s Lance?” Keith only frowned, squinting harder. It was as if there was a block in his brain, but couldn’t get around it. “We were in the same class in the Garrison?”

 

“Really? Are you a--uh--engineer?”

 

“No, I’m a _pilot.”_ He had to say, Lance’s facial expression were comical. It was amusing. “We were like, rivals, you know--Lance and Keith--neck and neck--” Keith had an inkling of a thought, of _recognition,_ but it was too fleeting for him to really get a hold of it. He _knew_ this guy, but the only thing that was brought forth from his haze of a mind was that he had been a cargo pilot.

 

“Oh, wait; I remember you. You’re a cargo pilot.” As Lance’s face twisted, Keith realized that was obviously not the correct thing to bring up. Fail number 2.

 

“Well, not anymore,” Lance said, matter-of-factly, in a particular way that grinded Keith’s gears. “I’m fighter class now, thanks _you_ washing out.” His brows smushed together, and a dreadful feeling washed over him.

 

“Well, _congratulations,_ ” he mumbled, barely working it out through his clenched teeth.

 

And then they made their escape.

 

{--+--}

 

Keith really didn’t think the life summary of an anime or cartoon character would define his life, but here he is, having shown Lance and Hunk and Pidge and Shiro the Blue Lion, and now they were blasting into space, a huge-ass enemy ship on their heels.

 

Then a portal appeared, and Keith tried to reign in the explosion of feelings in his gut, as they all decided to head through it.

 

And of course, the rest is history.

 

{--+--}

 

The first few months were nothing short of hell. It was so _hard_ to adjust to living with people again, even interacting with them--Keith was bad at it before, but now he was just _horrendous._ And it didn’t help that he and Lance were fighting more than ever, more than they did even in the Garrison.

 

Yeah, Keith remembered.

 

No, he wasn’t going to tell Lance.

 

Or at least, he didn’t plan to.

 

{--+--}

 

Things finally blew up after one terrible mission; it had gone just about as well as putting a baby on a motorcycle and shoving it down the highway. Yeah. Not well at _all._

 

Red was damaged, the repairs would take weeks--Blue’s lasers were out of commision, and Pidge’s Lion was sparking with electricity. Shiro and Hunk had to lug the three of them home, and even though the mission was a success, it was one of those you felt like you lost.

 

Because everything about it had just gone horrible.

 

As soon as Keith was out of his Lion, he saw Lance march towards him, and his tiredness and anger at himself washed over him, fresh. This wouldn’t end well.

 

“Lance, go the fuck away, I don’t want to talk to talk to you.”

 

“Oh? That’s the _first_ thing you say to me after an assfuck of a mission, after _you_ were the one who threw yourself into the fray like an idiot?” Keith was immediately up and in Lance’s face. He was so _tired_ of this stupid rivalry and he was so unable to deal with people and everything else that came along with being part of a _team._

 

“ _Excuse me?_ I jumped in front of the lasers so they wouldn’t hit _you, ‘_ cause you fly like a bear and there was _no way_ you would have made it out in time.”

 

“That’s a funny thing to say, after you had been so goddamn wild at the Garrison that you got kicked out for not being able to keep yourself in check! You sure you didn’t do it just so you could steal the spotlight again?” Keith wheeled on Lance, shoving him away.

 

“You were there!” he roared, ignoring the concerned glances of Pidge and Hunk, and Shiro’s furious expression. “You were there, _McClain,_ you should _know_ exactly what happened, you dipshit!” Keith felt tears prickling at his eyes, and his throat began to burn.

 

“So _now_ you remember, you piece of shit? So _now_ you know who I am. It only took you what, 6 fucking months?” Keith tried to control the flow of emotions in his brain, tried to stop his fists from clenching even tighter. “I didn’t think I was _that forgettable,_ Kogane, so just don’t even try to fucking bring that shit up.” Lance sounded _hurt,_ so hurt in fact that it made Keith stop and blink.

 

“I,” Keith started, breath coming ragged between his teeth, “was out in the desert-- _alone_ \--for a good _year,_ Lance.” He finally felt the exhaustion welling up, and looked away as his shoulders dropped. “I didn’t even remember what a different voice, other than mine, sounded like.”

 

He turned, then, and headed straight out of the room, his pace increasing, until he was sprinting down the halls. Eventually, he found an empty, quiet room in who-knows-where in the castle, curled into a ball in the corner, and closed his eyes.

 

{--+--}

 

Keith jerked awake the next day, his body aching and his throat parched. He took a shuddering breath and then stood up, putting his hand on a table for support. He immediately recoiled as he pressed a button, and the whole room began to light up.

 

He stared in wonder as a map of the stars was projected around the room, which apparently was a sort of planetarium. The ‘table’ in the corner that he had used as leverage was actually a control panel, with only a hand scanner.

 

His gaze wandered around, and he stepped in a small circle across the room, watching the stars faze through his body and hands. A stray thought entered his mind. _He should show this to Lance._

 

But that thought was immediately shoved away. Any hope he had of reconnecting with the blue paladin had been smashed yesterday. He sighed, waving his hand around and watching the system of stars move.

 

An idea popped into his head, and his voice rang out among the cold metal walls and nameless stars.

 

“Show me… Earth.”

 

And suddenly the stars were whizzing past his head, making him dizzy at the speed they moved; and just as he thought he would have to close his eyes, to sit down--a familiar blue and white planet came to a stop right before his nose, and he gaped, able to see the clouds on the surface and the oceans and a bit of the land.

 

“Zoom in,” he said, his voice hardly a whisper. But the room heard him, and the planet grew. Now he could see the cities and fields that dotted the landscape, the oceans and sands of beaches. He moved around to the desert where he had lived in, and tapped lightly on the surface.

 

And then he was staring at the rocks and sands he had traversed during his year alone. He spotted his shack. He was just about to click on it when the door opened behind him, and Keith twisted sharply to see who it was.

 

Lance stared back at him, and then past him, and his mouth dropped open. Keith flinched, watching the other walk into the room, the door once again hissing closed.

 

“H-hey,” he said, his voice a little too loud and awkward among the quiet of the room. He pointed to the Earth. “Do… uh, what about… Varadero Beach?” The hologram behind him whirled to expose a different part of the planet, and Keith stepped aside as Lance came forward, tracing his fingers wonderingly over the expanse of sand.

 

“Uh… I just,” Lance said, eyes flicking over briefly to Keith and then back at the beach, “want to say I’m sorry.” Keith looked away, and the pain that was raw in the air around him almost made him choke. He knew he should say something, but he was afraid. He would just mess everything up again.

 

“You’re a good pilot, y’know? So of course I would remember you.” Keith frowned, glancing back to see Lance’s resigned expression. “It’s no wonder you didn’t remember me.”

 

“No--” Keith started, then bit his lip. He closed his eyes, urging himself to continue. Now or never. “Lance, that wasn’t it. That was never it.” Lance was gazing at him with an expression he couldn’t place, that honest to god made Keith want to jump out of his skin and run away. “It didn’t take six months. It took me a week,” he said softly, and Lance’s eyebrows knitted together.

 

“Wait, and you didn’t tell me?” Keith snorted, rolling his eyes.

 

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Oh hey Lance, by the way, I remember you now. Sorry about all that confusion and shit, I just lived alone in the desert for a year and repressed any good memories I had because I couldn’t deal with it’?” Keith straightened then, closing his mouth with an audible snap, and feeling some kind of panic wash over him.

 

“You… _repressed_ them? Why?” Keith pursed his lips.

 

“Lance.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Imagine, if you were stuck on this ship, alone, for a year.” He saw Lance’s face fall, contorting. “And now, imagine that the only person who had given you the light of day before, was most likely dead or floating half-dead through the solar system.” At this, Lance glanced back at Keith. A heavy silence enveloped them, and then Lance sighed.

 

“That’s… really rough. I can’t even imagine that.”

 

“I’m sorry too,” Keith murmured, and Lance flicked the hologram back to the desert, and zoomed in on Keith’s shack. He chuckled, and Keith whipped his head around to see Lance pointing at his red hovercraft.

 

“Dude, look. It’s still there. Where you left it.” Keith smiled, zooming in even further.

 

“Yeah, it is.”

 

{--+--}

 

Keith and Lance emerged from the room with Lance yelling loudly--

 

“I found him!”

 

Which made Keith hate Lance briefly, until he saw Lance’s smile, and the others running for him. Hunk tackled him first, flinching backward when he realized he was still in his suit and armor. Pidge was next, punching him straight in the gut, and then Lance too for good measure.

 

“Ow,” Lance whined, “Why me?”

 

“Because _you’re_ the catalyst,” was all he said, glasses flashing and moving backward to let Shiro walk forward. Keith avoided his gaze for as long as possible, until he was being tugged into a tight, rib-crushing hug.

 

“Let’s work this out,” he said, finally pulling back and clenching Keith’s shoulders, “--as a _team_ .  


And as Keith walked back with them, he stared. At Hunk’s nervous smile, at Pidge’s smirk, at Shiro’s hands explaining the next drill they would be conducting, and then at Lance’s smile.

 

_Oh._

 

It was a simple thought, but one that made laughter bubble up in his throat. Keith chuckled softly for a brief minute, until realizing that he had stopped, and that Lance had stayed back with him.

 

“What is it?” He said, glancing back to see that the rest of the paladins had continued to walk.

 

“Nothing,” Keith answered, smiling up at Lance. “It’s just that… I’m really stupid.”

 

“Yeah… you are.” And Lance’s beam of a smile had been worth it after that. Keith shook his head, elbowing the other away, earning a yelp, and then he was elbowed back.

 

_This is what heaven feels like._

 

{--+--}

 

They grew. They improved. They saved lives, and formed Voltron.

 

He and Lance got better. They became friends.

 

Maybe they kissed, here and there.

 

It was all very new, but it was something that was taken in stride, and they continued to grow.

 

To learn.

 

To heal, after hell had torn them apart. They patched each other back up after battle, they reinforced their strengths and worked on their weaknesses.

 

{--+--}

 

Keith got up in the middle of the night, being extra careful not to wake Lance beside him. He didn’t exactly remember when they had started sleeping in the same bed, but he also didn’t exactly care about that. All he cared about was continuing to spend time with Lance--even when they were dead asleep.

 

But even so, tonight he couldn’t be bothered to close his eyes. And he needed to do _something,_ but didn’t want to wake Lance. So it was with a sigh that he went out into the hall and began walking around the castleship corridors.

 

It took him a while, but he eventually found the same room that he did months ago, after that mission. He walked inside and turned on the hologram, and just sat in front of Earth, spinning slowly before his eyes.

 

About an hour later, the door zipped open, revealing a sleepy Lance. Keith smiled up at him, but Lance only looked on groggily at Earth.

 

“Couldn’t sleep?” he mumbled, taking a seat beside Keith. Keith shook his head. Lance yawned, leaning into the red paladin, and Keith let out a huff of a laugh.

 

He felt a lot better that Lance found him; he liked it a lot more when Lance was around. It made him feel less heavy. Less weighty. Less… like a burden.

 

Even as Lance snored lightly on his shoulder, Keith hummed softly, running his hand through the shorter, lighter hair.

 

“You know, you’re my heaven away from hell,” he said softly, into the air in front of him. He felt safe knowing that Lance was asleep, safe enough to not be heard. Someday, Keith would tell him that to his face.

 

But right now, he placed a kiss on Lance’s temple, content with the way things were progressing. Someday soon, he told himself; because here on the ship, floating through galaxies and star systems and asteroids--here, they had all the time in the universe.

  


{--+--}

 

He found out that everyone’s life was their own personal hell. That just as he had suffered, so had Shiro, Lance, Hunk, Pidge--Allura and Coran. Everyone had suffered, was suffering, and this was reinforced by the sheer amount of distress signals they picked up coming from nearly every star system and galaxy known to the ship.

 

But even in between the war, in between the wounds and the blood flowing and the anguish of a failed fight--there were the good times too.

 

Even in the hell he called his life, he could now share this with his fellow friends--his found family, his teammates. They were the cool in between the heat, the reprieve inside the task they took on as the _defenders of the universe._

 

Voltron was the heaven that combatted hell, and as he ran at Lance and pulled him into a hug after a hard-won battle, he realized that it was okay. Everything was going to be okay, because among the hell of living, you could find your heaven. And that was what Keith told Lance, right there; and Lance just laughed wildly, kissing Keith, as if he had put the stars in the sky.

 

And from Lance’s point of view, he may as well have.

**Author's Note:**

> OK so i have to zoom to dinner but enjoy! I'll be back later to edit this.


End file.
